From 18 to 21 November 2025, New York hosted the 20th World Cities & Ports Conference, organised by AIVP in partnership with the NYC Economic Development Corporation.

The programme for these four days of discussions focused on the major challenges facing port cities: climate change, urban transformation, the energy transition and logistics innovation.

Under the theme ‘Navigating Change: Innovating Ports, Cities and Climate’, this edition brought together port managers, urban planners, researchers, elected representatives and businesses from around the world. The plenary sessions focused in particular on climate adaptation, the city-port interface and new governance models. Workshops and technical labs provided an opportunity to address key topics such as the energy transition, biodiversity, sustainable mobility and digital innovations.

Field visits – including the Newlab at the Brooklyn Navy Yard – and a guided cruise along the New York waterfront illustrated the concrete port transformation strategies currently underway in the United States.

The final day focused on the financing of innovative projects and the social integration of port areas, before the event concluded with the announcement of the 2026 Antoine Rufenacht Prize.

This 20th edition confirmed the vital role of port cities in the green transition and territorial innovation, and marked a high point for international cooperation between cities and ports.

Sources: AIVP / Photos ©LBayon